Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand
Median $20.50 an hour in Maine · 6,120 jobs
Maine · 2026 take-home pay
$20 an hour after taxes in Maine
At $20 an hour in Maine you keep about $16.44 of every hour — $658 a week, $2,850 a month or $34,203 a year full time — after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare, Maine income tax and state payroll programs. Maine has a graduated income tax plus Maine PFML, and its minimum wage is $15.10 an hour.
Where $20 an hour goes
| A year | A week | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $41,600 | $800 | $20.00 |
| Federal income tax | −$2,812 | −$54 | −$1.35 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | −$2,579 | −$50 | −$1.24 |
| Medicare (1.45%+) | −$603 | −$12 | −$0.29 |
| Maine income tax | −$1,195 | −$23 | −$0.57 |
| Maine PFML (employee share) | −$208 | −$4 | −$0.10 |
| Take-home pay | $34,203 | $658 | $16.44 |
Effective tax rate 17.8% · federal bracket 12% · Maine bracket 5.8%.
Maine PFML (employee share): 0.5% of wages.
Take-home per paycheck
| Paid | Gross | Take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly (52 paychecks) | $800.00 | $657.75 |
| Every two weeks (26) | $1,600.00 | $1,315.49 |
| Twice a month (24) | $1,733.33 | $1,425.12 |
| Monthly (12) | $3,466.67 | $2,850.23 |
$20 an hour at different hours
Take-home in Maine for part-time, full-time and overtime weeks. Overtime is paid at 1.5 times $20 an hour for hours over 40, as federal law requires for most hourly workers.
| Schedule | Gross a week | Take-home a week | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours a week* | $400 | $358 | $18,635 |
| 30 hours a week | $600 | $510 | $26,502 |
| 40 hours a week | $800 | $658 | $34,203 |
| 40 hours + 5 overtime | $950 | $769 | $39,969 |
| 40 hours + 10 overtime | $1,100 | $878 | $45,671 |
*If this is your only job. With a second job, withholding on each is likely too low unless you adjust your W-4.
Is $20 an hour good pay in Maine?
- Minimum wage: $20 an hour is 1.3 times Maine's minimum wage of $15.10 an hour. Portland sets a higher minimum.
- Among Maine workers: It's about the 28th percentile of hourly pay in Maine (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 28 in 100 workers earn less. The median is $24.73 an hour.
- Local prices: Maine's price level is 97.1% of the U.S. average (BEA Regional Price Parities), so $34,203 a year buys about what $35,242 would at national-average prices.
- Rent: the 30% rule points to about $1,040 a month. Check it with your debts.
- A 50/30/20 budget: about $1,425 a month for needs, $855 for wants and $570 for savings. Plan it in the budget calculator.
Jobs in Maine that pay about $20 an hour
Occupations whose median wage in Maine is within 4% of $20 an hour, most common first. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Median $20.41 an hour in Maine · 3,440 jobs
Tellers
Median $20.62 an hour in Maine · 2,410 jobs
Crossing Guards and Flaggers
Median $19.30 an hour in Maine · 1,140 jobs
Food Batchmakers
Median $20.32 an hour in Maine · 610 jobs
Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
Median $19.57 an hour in Maine · 410 jobs
How Maine compares on $20 an hour
Maine ranks 38th of 51 for take-home pay on $20 an hour (1st = keeps the most). Here it is next to its neighbors.
| State | After tax, per hour | A year | Minimum wage | vs Maine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine | $16.44 | $34,203 | $15.10 | — |
| New Hampshire | $17.12 | $35,606 | $7.25 | +$1,403 a year |
How the federal tax on $41,600 ($20 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $41,600 minus the 2026 standard deduction ($16,100) = $25,500. Each slice is taxed at its own rate:
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $12,400 | $1,240 |
| 12% | $13,100 | $1,572 |
| Total | $25,500 | $2,812 |
How the Maine income tax on $41,600 ($20 an hour) is worked out
Taxable income is $41,600 of Maine wages minus $15,700 standard deduction minus $5,300 in exemptions = $20,600.
| Rate | Income in this bracket | Tax |
|---|---|---|
| 5.8% | $20,600 | $1,195 |
| Total | $20,600 | $1,195 |
Common questions
How much is $20 an hour after taxes in Maine?
About $16.44 for every hour you work, or $34,203 a year at 40 hours a week ($41,600 gross). Taxes take about 17.8% of your pay, for a single filer in 2026 with no pre-tax deductions.
How much is $20 an hour a week after taxes in Maine?
About $658 a week at 40 hours, from $800 gross. Paid every two weeks, each paycheck is about $1,315.
How much is $20 an hour a month after taxes in Maine?
About $2,850 a month at 40 hours a week, from $3,467 gross.
Is $20 an hour good pay in Maine?
$20 an hour is 1.3 times Maine's minimum wage of $15.10 an hour. It's about the 28th percentile of hourly pay in Maine (BLS, May 2025) — roughly 28 in 100 workers earn less. The median hourly wage for all jobs in Maine is $24.73. After taxes and local prices, $34,203 a year buys about what $35,242 would at national-average prices.
Is Maine a high-tax state for $20 an hour?
It ranks 38th of 51 among the 50 states and D.C. for take-home on $20 an hour. The most you'd keep is $35,606 a year, in 8 places including Florida, North Dakota, New Hampshire; the least, $32,757 in Oregon.
More hourly rates
Other hourly rates in Maine
- $16 an hour in Maine
- $17 an hour in Maine
- $18 an hour in Maine
- $19 an hour in Maine
- $21 an hour in Maine
- $22 an hour in Maine
- $23 an hour in Maine
- $24 an hour in Maine
$20 an hour in every state · $40,000 a year in Maine · $45,000 a year in Maine · Maine paycheck calculator · All pay conversions
Sources and method
Our 2026 engine applies IRS Publication 15-T withholding, Social Security and Medicare, Maine's income tax rules and Maine's employee payroll programs (methodology). Local income taxes are not included. Minimum wages: U.S. Department of Labor. Wage distribution and jobs: BLS OEWS May 2025. Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities.
- Publication 15-T (2026), Federal Income Tax Withholding Methods — Internal Revenue Service. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- State Minimum Wage Laws — U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed October 14, 2026.
- Regional Price Parities by State — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Accessed October 14, 2026.